shuàixìng 率性
Acting in Accordance with Human Nature
遵循、发挥人的道德本性。率:遵循。“率性”一说出自《礼记·中庸》。《中庸》认为,人具有道德的本性,道德本性是源自于天的。人应遵循、发挥这一天赋的德性,将其实现为外在的言行。符合天赋德性的言行即构成人伦生活中的道德。后世儒者将人的道德本性视为天理在人性中的体现,因此“率性”也被看作是对天理的依循。
The notion of acting in accordance with human nature first appears in The Doctrine of the Golden Mean. According to this text, all humans possess an innate virtuous quality that originates from heaven. People should follow and give full play to this heavenly bestowed virtue and realize it in their words and deeds. Behavior in keeping with this inherent nature constitutes a person’s virtuous quality. Later scholars regarded this virtuous nature as the heavenly law manifested in human nature. Acting in accordance with human nature was therefore seen as following the heavenly law.
引例 Citation:
◎天命之谓性,率性之谓道,修道之谓教。(《礼记·中庸》)
(天所命令赐予人的本性称为性,依循道德本性而行事称为道,对道德的修养称为教。)
What heaven has bestowed upon people is called human nature. Acting in accordance with this moral nature is called the Way (Dao); cultivation of this moral nature is called education. (The Doctrine of the Golden Mean)